Whatever It Takes
Disclaimer: Still don't own Harry Potter…
A/N: Chapter 7? Wow…sorry this chapter is so short and I want to let you guys know ahead of time that I'm not going to be able to update as much. There was a sudden death in the family so I've got to be in L.A. for a few days. Then, hopefully I'll be back on track.
Chapter 7
The next few days passed quickly and before Harry knew it, it was time for Ron and Hermione to go back to Hogwarts. In some ways, he was saddened by this news, but in others he wasn't. He really needed some time to himself. Time to just think things over. And it was probably a good thing they were leaving because Harry didn't want to end up hurting anyone else. Hadn't he caused enough damage?
Ron promised Harry he would write to him everyday and he expected a response as well. Harry, in turn, agreed to write back, although he knew he wouldn't. Hermione cried and Ron shook Harry's hand. Ginny just smiled. Then, they left and Harry had all of Grimmauld Place to himself.
At first, he had to admit that it was boring, but he found ways to entertain himself eventually. He practiced some spells and then he went out and rode his broomstick. Then, after some lunch, he would carefully go through the many items scattered across the house. This pattern continued for several days, until Harry got so sick of it all he could do was sleep.
Sleep wasn't exactly a good thing. He was having dreams again and he wasn't sure why. Hadn't Voldemort shut him out, so he wouldn't be able to access information? But his dreams kept continuing and Harry wasn't sure whether or not to believe them. It could have been that Voldemort had let down his defenses or it could have been that he was trying to mislead Harry. This was one thing he did not know, but so far, the dreams hadn't been of much importance. They would just be bits and pieces of Voldemort talking to his Death Eaters, telling them nothing in particular. Most of the time Voldemort just praised those who had done some work.
After the first week of Ron and Hermione being back at Hogwarts, Harry was feeling ill. But soon enough, they both wrote to him and that gave him something to look forward to everyday.
Ron explained that since, obviously, Snape wasn't there, they had received another new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. His name was Professor Denton and Ron described him as being a tall man with dark hair and a scruffy beard. Denton, Ron had explained, was a retired auror and a good friend of Dumbledore. He seemed to think that his teachings were accurate and his class was extremely interesting, which Harry found surprising that Ron had actually been paying attention. Ron, in his letters, also told Harry that he had been made Head Boy and quidditch captain, and for this Harry felt he should reply to him with a short, 'congratulations.'
Hermione told Harry funny stories about their schoolmates. She said that Luna was just as odd as ever. She insisted on wearing her Spectraspecs all the time, claiming that they helped her see better, when just the next instant she was crashing into a Professor or a wall. Harry's favorite though, had to be when Hermione had told him that when Lavender had found out that she was correct in thinking of Hermione as a threat, she had hung onto the back of Ron's broom during quidditch tryouts and Ron had simply put his foot on her face and shoved her off.
Hermione also told him that McGonagal never fully assumed the position of Headmistress. She still taught Transfiguration, although she had allowed Professor Denton to become Gryffindor's Head of House. Hermione had wrote that he was, "okay" and had a good sense of humor.
Both Ron and Hermione had informed him that neither of Malfoy's cronies had returned to school, but a few other Slytherins had.
After Harry had finished reading their letters he felt depressed and placed them in a drawer. Something gold caught his eye. He picked the object up and saw that it was a heavy locket.
A/N: gasp! Yes, once again, sorry the chapter was soooooooooooo short. It was nice having Ron and Hermione tell Harry about what was going on at Hogwarts and I must say poor Lav-Lav. I feel sorry for her, but I guess she should have seen it coming. I mean, the whole Ron/Hermione thing has been so obvious throughout the series. Oh, and by the way, she still has Ron's shoe markings on her face, the poor dear.
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